Big Ten Recruiting Class Rankings 9-4-11

The latest week in recruiting sees Notre Dame pick up their highest-ranked recruit in DT Jarron Jones while Purdue and Northwestern each add some lower-ranked players to their classes. Other than that, nothing really happened. Action since last rankings:

Michigan maintains their stranglehold at the top of the rankings. Sione Houma moves from two to three stars on Rivals, and he's now ranked as their #5 fullback in the country.

#2 Notre Dame - 14 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Jarron Jones

DT

NY

4

5

4

5

Ronald Darby

CB

MD

4

5

4

4

Tee Shepard

CB

CA

4

5

4

4

Sheldon Day

DT

IN

4

5

4

4

Deontay Greenberry

WR

CA

4

4

4

4

Taylor Decker

OL

OH

4

4

3

4

David Perkins

LB

IN

3

4

4

4

Nick Baratti

S

TX

3

4

3

3

C.J. Prosise

S

VA

3

4

3

3

Justin Ferguson

WR

FL

3

3

4

3

Mark Harrell

OL

NC

3

3

4

3

Romeo Okwara

DE

NC

3

3

3

4

John Turner

S

IN

3

3

3

3

Scott Daly

LS

IL

2

2

2

2

The Irish land Jarron Jones, their highest-rated recruit across the board to date. They still have some ground to cover to catch Michigan, going by pure numbers, but in terms of quality of commits this class is right up there.

#3 Penn State - 17 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Tommy Schutt

DT

IL

4

5

4

4

Camren Williams

LB

MA

4

4

4

4

J.J. Denman

OL

PA

4

4

4

4

Eugene Lewis

WR

PA

4

4

4

4

Armani Reeves

CB

MA

4

4

4

4

Joey O'Connor

OL

CO

4

4

4

3

Brent Wilkerson

DE

MD

4

3

3

4

Brian Gaia

OL

MD

3

3

4

3

Skyler Mornhinweg

QB

PA

3

3

4

3

Anthony Stanko

OL

OH

3

3

3

3

Nyeem Wartman

LB

PA

3

3

3

3

Jesse James

TE

PA

3

3

3

3

J.P. Holtz

TE

PA

3

3

3

3

Austin Johnson

OL

NJ

3

3

NR

NR

Malik Golden

ATH

PA

3

2

3

3

Jake Kiley

CB

NH

2

3

2

NR

Derek Dowrey

DT

VA

2

2

3

NR

J.P. Holtz earns a three-star ranking from Rivals.

#4 Ohio State - 12 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Bri'onte Dunn

RB

OH

4

5

4

4

Joshua Perry

LB

OH

4

4

4

4

Warren Ball

RB

OH

4

4

3

4

De'Van Bogard

S

OH

4

4

3

4

Pat Elflein

OL

OH

3

3

4

3

Jacoby Boren

OL

OH

3

3

3

4

Frank Epitropoulos

WR

OH

3

3

3

3

Blake Thomas

TE

OH

3

3

3

3

Roger Lewis

WR

OH

3

3

3

3

Luke Roberts

LB

OH

3

3

3

2

Tyvis Powell

S

OH

3

3

2

3

Najee Murray

CB

OH

2

3

3

3

No change for the Buckeyes.

#5 Michigan State - 14 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Se'Von Pittman

DE

OH

4

4

4

4

Aaron Burbridge

WR

MI

4

4

4

4

Benny McGowan

OL

OH

3

3

4

3

Tyler O'Connor

QB

OH

3

3

3

4

Riley Bullough

LB

MI

3

3

3

3

Zach Higgins

OL

OH

3

3

3

3

Jamal Lyles

LB

MI

3

3

3

3

Josiah Price

TE

IN

3

3

3

3

Nick Tompkins

RB

GA

3

3

3

3

Kyle Kerrick

WR

PA

3

3

3

3

MacGarrett Kings

WR

FL

3

3

3

3

Jermaine Edmondson

S

OH

3

3

3

2

Evan Jones

TE

OH

3

3

NR

3

Kodi Kieler

OL

MI

3

3

3

NR

Kodi Keiler is upgraded from unranked to three stars on Rivals. Interesting, but completely irrelevant, sidenote: Rivals and Scout are in complete lockstep when it comes to ranking the Spartan commits (requisite dig: because they're almost all three-stars—but, you know, national three-stars).

#6 Wisconsin - 10 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Dan Voltz

OL

IL

4

4

4

4

Vince Biegel

LB

WI

4

4

4

4

Kyle Dodson

OL

OH

4

4

3

4

Vonte Jackson

RB

WI

4

4

3

4

Bart Houston

QB

CA

3

4

4

4

D.J. Singleton

S

NJ

3

4

4

3

Walker Williams

OL

WA

3

3

3

3

Hugs Etienne

CB

CA

3

2

3

3

Reggie Mitchell

CB

PA

2

2

2

NR

Arthur Goldberg

DT

PA

NR

3

2

NR

No change for the Badgers.

#7 Indiana - 17 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Gunner Kiel

QB

IN

4

5

4

5

Nick Mangieri

DE

IL

3

3

3

3

Dan Feeney

OL

IL

3

3

3

3

Jordan Wallace

LB

IN

3

3

3

3

Kevin Davis

WR

IN

3

3

3

3

Adam Kranda

TE

IN

3

3

3

3

Wes Rogers

OL

IN

3

3

3

3

Mike Cotton

LB

IL

3

3

3

3

Shawn Heffern

DE

IN

3

3

3

3

Sebastian Smith

S

OH

3

2

NR

3

Jason Spriggs

TE

IN

2

3

3

3

Tanner Kearns

TE

OH

2

3

2

3

Caleb Cornett

WR

IN

2

3

2

2

Alex Todd

OL

OH

2

3

2

3

Jacob Bailey

OL

IN

2

2

3

3

Dawson Fletcher

S

OH

2

2

NR

2

Darius Stroud

LB

KS

NR

NR

JC

NR

Shawn Heffern gets a three-star ranking from Rivals, while Alex Todd picks up three stars from 24/7. I'm still keeping them just a hair below Wisconsin, but if the average rankings get any closer or the Hoosiers pick up another commit that'll probably change.

#8 Northwestern - 16 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Adam DePietro

OL

PA

3

4

3

3

Greg Kuhar

DT

OH

3

3

3

3

Dean Lowry

DE

IL

3

3

3

3

Kenton Playko

OL

OH

3

3

3

3

Eric Olson

OL

MA

3

3

3

3

Jack Schwaba

TE

PA

3

3

3

2

Ian Park

OL

PA

3

3

3

NR

Malin Jones

RB

IL

3

3

2

3

Mike McHugh

WR

PA

3

2

2

2

Dwight White

CB

TX

3

2

2

NR

Connor Mahoney

OL

PA

2

3

3

NR

Dan Vitale

S

IL

2

2

2

2

Joseph Jones

S

PA

2

2

NR

NR

Chris Fitzpatrick

OL

KY

2

2

NR

2

Jaylen Prater

LB

OH

NR

NR

2

NR

Terrance Brown

S

CA

NR

NR

NR

NR

The Wildcats pick up a pair of unheralded recruits in LB Jaylen Prater and S Terrance Brown. This drags down their averages considerably, but I won't punish a team for picking up commits. Iowa is hot on their heels, though.

#9 Iowa - 10 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Jaleel Johnson

DT

IL

4

4

4

4

Ryan Ward

OL

IL

4

3

4

3

Maurice Fleming

CB

IL

3

3

4

3

Ruben Lile

ATH

MI

3

3

3

3

Cameron Wilson

WR

OH

3

3

3

3

Mitch Keppy

OL

IL

3

3

2

3

Michael Malloy

RB

IA

3

3

2

3

Drew Ott

DE

NE

3

2

3

3

Laron Taylor

LB

MI

2

3

3

3

Connor Kornbrath

K

WV

2

3

2

NR

No change for the Hawkeyes.

#10 Minnesota - 18 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Jonah Pirsig

OL

MN

3

4

3

4

Isaac Hayes

OL

MN

3

3

4

3

Philip Nelson

QB

MN

3

3

2

3

Jack Lynn

LB

IL

3

3

2

3

Dinero Moss

S

FL

3

2

3

3

Dominic Twitty

DT

NJ

3

2

3

3

Brian Nicholson

LB

FL

3

2

2

2

Jordan Hinojosa

DT

FL

3

2

NR

NR

Nick Rallis

S

MN

3

3

2

3

Maxx Williams

TE

MN

3

3

NR

NR

Rodrick Williams

RB

TX

3

NR

NR

3

Mitch Leidner

QB

MN

2

3

2

3

Drew Davis

LB

NC

2

2

3

NR

Samad Hinds

TE

FL

2

2

3

2

Josh Ballesteros

LB

FL

2

2

2

2

Eric Murray

CB

WI

2

2

NR

NR

Scott Ekpe

DT

TX

2

2

NR

3

Isaac Fruechte

WR

MN

NR

2

JC

NR

Nick Rallis, Maxx Williams, and Rodrick Williams each pick up three stars from Rivals after being unrated. 24/7 does the same for Scott Ekpe and R. Williams.

#11 Purdue - 15 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Jordan Shine

S

IN

3

3

3

3

Ryan Morris

TE

NJ

3

3

3

3

Austin Appleby

QB

OH

3

3

3

3

Jordan Roos

OL

TX

3

3

3

3

Jonathan Curry

TE

AL

3

3

3

3

Aloyis Gray

ATH

IN

3

3

2

3

Andy Garcia

LB

FL

3

2

2

2

B.J. Knauf

WR

FL

3

3

2

3

Jimmy Herman

S

IN

3

3

2

3

Anthony Brown

CB

FL

3

NR

NR

3

Paul Griggs

K

NC

2

3

3

3

Thomas Meadows

K

VA

2

NR

2

2

Steffon Martin

LB

AZ

NR

2

JC

NR

Devin Smith

OL

AZ

NR

3

JC

NR

Carlos Carvajal

TE

NY

NR

NR

NR

NR

The Boilermakers land ATH Aloyis Gray, OL Devin Smith, and TE Carlos Carvajal. Jimmy Herman picks up three stars from Rivals. By the power of sheer volume, Purdue moves ahead of Nebraska. File that under: 'Things I Never Thought I'd Write About Football and/or Recruiting'.

#12 Nebraska - 6 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Paul Thurston

OL

CO

4

4

4

4

Greg McMullen

DE

OH

4

4

3

4

Michael Rose

LB

MO

3

3

4

4

Jordan Westerkamp

WR

IL

3

4

3

4

Sam Cotton

TE

NE

3

2

3

3

Deion Jones

LB

LA

2

3

NR

NR

No change for the Huskers. Still. Bo Pelini isn't expecting some sort of Big Ten Expansion Draft, is he?

#13 Illinois - 8 Commits

Name

Position

State

Rivals

Scout

ESPN

24/7

Tajarvis Fuller

LB

FL

3

3

3

3

Cody Quinn

CB

OH

3

3

3

3

Elliot Faerber

WR

KS

3

3

2

NR

Tyler Barton

S

FL

3

NR

2

NR

Joseph Spencer

OL

OH

3

3

3

3

Jason Robertson

WR

IL

2

3

3

3

Joey Warburg

OL

KY

2

2

3

3

Zach Jackson

S

FL

NR

3

3

3

No new commits for the Illini. Joseph Spencer picks up three stars and Joey Warburg two from Rivals.

Comment viewing options

Is it safe to assume that you're a believer in the "bigger classes are better because they're big" idea? Just trying to understand your reasoning.

FWIW, I agree with that when you have classes of roughly the same average quality. With something like Iowa/Northwestern, though, Iowa could very easily grab a bunch of 2-star (even some 1-star) recruits who would even out the class sizes while still leaving Iowa ahead in the average star ratings.

Not necessarily (see Wisconsin ahead of Indiana), but in general it helps to have depth in the class. I very nearly stuck Iowa in front of Northwestern, but I didn't want to penalize the Wildcats for pulling in a couple recruits, and that's where they were last week. As these classes start filling up, I'm sure Iowa and Nebraska will move their way up the rankings pretty quickly.

It may look like there's a method to the madness, but right now it's mostly just madness (and trying to make sure I don't mess up the HTML for the tables). I'm more worried about making sure all the right info is in the right place than making arbitrary distinctions between incomplete recruiting classes full of players who have played one or two games in their senior seasons.